Cash out offered on Evolution 7 seat live blackjack tables

Evolution are now offering a cash out option on all their 7 seat live blackjack tables.

When it’s time to make your Hit/Stand/Double/Split decision, you are now presented with another option…Cash Out.

In the example round below, with a not too promising 12 against the dealer’s Q up card I am given the option of surrendering the hand and and taking €5.50 on my €10 stake.

Ignoring the Cash Out offer and choosing instead to Hit, things get even worse when 3 is drawn for a 15 total. Once again Cash Out is offered, but the amount offered has dropped to €4.30, reflecting the fact that my position has deteriorated.

The changing offer amount is important. It illustrates that it is house calculated, based on the state of play.

Evolution describe their Cash Out option in their updated blackjack house rules as follows:

“After the cards are dealt and if the dealer does not have Blackjack, you have a decision to make. One of the decisions presented to you is to cash out: if you decide to cash out, the game for that hand will end, and you will receive back the value that is shown to you in the decision button.

The Cash Out payout ratio changes based on your total score for the hand and the dealer face-up card. The rule applies only to your main bet. You can control the visibility of this option in your decision panel in Settings.”

Not Blackjack Surrender

This is very different to Blackjack Surrender offered in some versions of blackjack (no live online tables presently). The Blackjack Surrender rule when in operation typically works as follows:

players get the option to surrender a hand before drawing any cards, and
the cost of surrender is a fixed amount (50% of your bet stake).

The surrender fee is fixed and not dependent on the state of play. There are are circumstances where surrender is the optimal play (eg player 15 or 16 versus dealer 10).

The key difference difference with Evolution’s Cash Out, is that the cost changes to reflect the state of play. In the above example, player 15 versus dealer 10 sees the surrender cost increase to 57% of the stake.

Theoretical return implications of Blackjack Cash Out

The cash out offer is calculated to return a healthy house edge. Evolution to their credit acknowledge as much in the house rules, “the theoretical payout percentage for always taking the offer is 96.80%.”

Ignoring the option (ie treating it like one of those low returning blackjack side bets) and playing these tables optimally, the theoretical return remains as it was previously – 99.29%.

Fortunately, to make sure you don’t succumb the temptation of taking cash outs when you have a 15 versus the dealer’s 10 (or any other situation), you can turn it off in the game’s settings.